When finishing wood or other abrasive surfaces, installation engineers frequently need to sand or plane the surface smooth. During such an installation, surfaces near to the unfinished surface need to be protected during the sanding process. US20080194187 to Bennett teaches a sanding device that uses bumpers to prevent a sanding belt from accidentally sanding a nearby surface. Bennett and all other extrinsic materials discussed herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety. Where a definition or use of a term in an incorporated reference is inconsistent or contrary to the definition of that term provided herein, the definition of that term provided herein applies and the definition of that term in the reference does not apply.
Unless the context dictates the contrary, all ranges set forth herein or in extrinsic materials should be interpreted as being inclusive of their endpoints, and open-ended ranges should be interpreted to include only commercially practical values. Similarly, all lists of values should be considered as inclusive of intermediate values unless the context indicates the contrary.
Bennett, however, only prevents sanding belts from touching surfaces that are a few centimeters away or more from the unfinished surface. A bumper does not have the accuracy to prevent a sanding belt from sanding a surface directly adjacent an unfinished surface. U.S. Pat. No. 6,037,106 to Komatsu solves this problem by teaching a sanding mask that fits over a surface adjacent an unfinished surface. A sandblaster could then safely blast both the unfinished surface and the mask, leaving the surface under the mask untouched. Komatsu, however, fails to prevent a sandblaster from wearing away too much material from the unfinished surface.
WO2008119180 to Arbel prevents a sandblaster from wearing away too much material from the unfinished surface by teaching a cover piece that is installed over the operative surface of a wall outlet. After fill material is spackled over the cover piece and the rest of the wall outlet, the fill material is sanded until the cover piece is exposed enough to be removed. Since the fill material only protrudes slightly from the front of the wall outlet, Arbel's outlet has an illusion of a flush-mount appearance. Arbel's cover piece, however, creates an unsightly recess in front of the operative surface of the wall outlet after the cover piece is removed.
Thus, there is still a need for systems and methods of protecting a surface directly adjacent to an unfinished surface during sanding which allows for a better flush-mount look and feel.